I've got a secret. My downstairs closet has three folders almost bursting open. Two floppy disks have five stories on them. I have four stories on a flash drive and one on my hard drive. So what's the big secret? All of them contain the same story! I have no idea which one contains the original.

Here's the deal. Once I started to learn how to write, I hated my original story so much, I was about to delete it. Hubby caught me, and backed it up in as many different ways as he could find. He thought maybe one day I would regret it. He even has a copy on his office computer. It may chafe my ass to say this, but he was right. No, I have no plans to go back and fix it. It's a mess. But I have used parts in stories I'm working on now. I even have a folder on a flash drive marked 'scrap pile.'

It's the only story I've ever finished, besides the one I have coming out in January. I've got four other stories waiting in the wings that are on a flash drive, an external hard drive, and in e-mail folders.

Do you have a scrap pile? What do you do with your old stories?

Comments

  1. LOL Your husband's out to save you from yourself!

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  2. A scrap pile, what a great idea. I've got bits and pieces of stories from as long ago as 1972. Well, that one I had to scan the typwritten copy and convert to word. Whenever I get a new computer I transfer everything from the old to the new. I've got every version if every story I ever wrote.

    When a really cool scene or character or plot hits me I write it down, you never know when you can use something.

    Now If I could just remember where I put them.

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  3. For Bix, I have an outtake folder and good gravy, it's at 26K words. But, I may need one of those scenes one of these days.

    I also have an idea folder--that's one of my favorites to go through when I need a little inspiration or just a break.

    Btw, your husband is frakking fantastic.

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  4. Your husband is a *definate* keeper (as if you didn't know that already)!

    I do have a Scrap Pile...can't delete anything, so I cut-and-paste. You never know.

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  5. Awesome husband! He's a keeper!
    I do have a scrap folder, and I often use things from it in other mss. I also use things from old mss in new ones. I figure until I'm sold, why not use a 4-H kid in my mss? Or every heroine loves Australian shepherds? Why not?

    Good post, Shawn.

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  6. Hubby was smart! I'm so glad you kept them, even if can't tell which is which.

    I keep everything. The worst. The duds. The "OMG I wrote THAT?" Everything. You just never know!

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